USF's Grothe headed to Bucs' rookie minicamp

Former USF quarterback Matt Grothe, who was not selected over the weekend in the NFL draft, has accepted an invitation to participate in the Bucs' rookie minicamp on Friday, hoping to land a free-agent contract.

"I had a good workout with them -- they were happy with it and so was I," Grothe said. "Everybody that comes into these minicamps isn't guaranteed anything. It's time for me to go out and prove myself."

Grothe said he had similar offers from two other NFL teams, but his first shot at the pros will come in Tampa, where he made a name for himself as USF's starting quarterback, finishing as the Big East's all-time career leader in total offense. Grothe has spent the last seven months returning to full strength from a season-ending knee injury he suffered in the third game of last season in September.

"I feel real good," said Grothe, who will be in a live practice for the first time since his injury -- the Bucs' minicamp runs from Friday through Sunday.

Grothe said he's excited to have a chance at playing for the team he's cheer for his whole life, growing up in Lakeland. He and his family have been to many Bucs home games, including the team's 1999 playoff win against Redskins.

The Bucs have four quarterbacks on their roster -- starter Josh Freeman, backup Josh Johnson, then second-year pro Rudy Carpenter, who joined the team late last season, and rookie Jevan Snead of Ole Miss, who signed a contract with the Bucs this weekend after being passed over in the draft.

Grothe's CFL rights had been held by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but his agent, John Phillips, said Monday that Hamilton no longer held those rights. Grothe said Monday that his CFL rights now belong to Saskatchewan.

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